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1770–1850

RURAL ARCHITECTURE

William Wordsworth

There's George Fisher, Charles Fleming, and Reginald Shore, Three rosy-cheeked school-boys, the highest not more Than the height of a counsellor's bag; To the top of GREAT HOW did it please them to climb:

And there they built up, without mortar or lime, A Man on the peak of the crag. They built him of stones gathered up as they lay: They built him and christened him all in one day,

An urchin both vigorous and hale; And so without scruple they called him Ralph Jones. Now Ralph is renowned for the length of his bones; The Magog of Legberthwaite dale.

Just half a week after, the wind sallied forth, And, in anger or merriment, out of the north, Coming on with a terrible pother, From the peak of the crag blew the giant away.

And what did these school-boys?— The very next day They went and they built up another. — Some little I've seen of blind boisterous works By Christian disturbers more savage than Turks,

Spirits busy to do and undo: At remembrance whereof my blood sometimes will flag; Then, light-hearted Boys, to the top of the crag; And I'll build up a giant with you.

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RURAL ARCHITECTURE · William Wordsworth · Poetry Cove